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UNMASKED 



AN EXPOSE OF 

MODERN SPIRITUALISM 

By AIRS. JULilA E. GAl^ETT 

THE CELEBRATED MEDIUM 

Price, twenty-five cents 



MEDIUMS 



UNMASKED 



AN EXPOSE OF 

MODERN SPIRITUHLISM 

BY AN EX-MEDIUM 



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- ANGELES, CAL. *L4^ 

H. M. Lee & Bro., PUBLI8HSB& 

1892. 



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Copyright 1892 

BY 

H. M. LEE & BROTHER. 



KB,} 1 



State of California, 
County of Los Angeles, 

BE IT KNOWN, that on this twenty-seventh 
day of May, personally appeared before me and on 
oath declares and says, that the manuscript setting 
forth the expose of Spiritualist Mediums is founded 
on facts and such expose is absolutely matters of 
truth. Mrs. Julia E. Garrett. 

Sworn and subscribed before me this 27th day 
of May. A. D. 1892. Joseph E. Wiseman, 

Notaiy Public in and for the 
[seal] City and County of Los Angeles, 

State of California. 



PREFACE. 

lam impelled to write this little book from a 
sense of duty; that I ncuay, in some manner, make 
amends for the evil I have done as a medium. 

My father was a Christian minister and I was 
raised as a Christian, but I married a Spiritualist, 
and, at his earnest request, entertained a number 
of celebrated mediums at our house. From them 
I learned all the " tricks of the trade," which, from 
the beginning, I thoroughly despised. After my 
husband's death, being left with three young chil- 
dren and no means of support, I was, in a measure, 
forced into an occupation which inspired me with 
disgust and which I have frequently tried to leave, 
but have always been driven back to, until now, 
when I have, thank God ! done with it forever. 

Having a natural gift of mind reading, I proved 
an adept pupil, and soon knew all there was to be 
learned. 

I have sat with almost every medium of note ; 
have read all the leading literature on the subject, 
and for twelve years have been before the public as 
a medium for ^independent slate writings," mate- 
rialization, raps, platform tests, pictures, clairvoy- 



6 KBDXUXB UNMAskkd. 

anoe and olairaudience, trumpet talking, and every 
other pha86 Of mediuinship. Daring all this time 
I never had an e.rpo.<t\ never had a line written or 
published against nie, or any scandal connected 
with my name. I was considered peculiar by me- 
diums, because I never would have anything to do 
with magnetic healers and other free lovers, for 
reasons given in this book. 

After this long experience I now solemnly de- 
clare that all — absolutely ALL — the so-called spir- 
itual phenomena are false ; and, furthermore, that 
the mediums well know it, being engaged in the 
nefarious business of deliberately deceiving foolish 
people for money, in such varying ways as I point 
out in the following pages. 

The more I saw of mediumship — the deeper I 
went into its wickedness — the more earnestly my 
soul cried out against it. I hated the whole thing 
with all my being, but I had a family to support, 
and, not having perfect faith in God, I was afraid 
that I and my children would starve if I gave it 
up. Yet I prayed daily for deliverance. I never 
went into a dark seance, or sat down to give a slate 
writing, or went up to the hall to hold a public 
meeting, that I did not ask God to forgive me. 

One day, in October last, I was going up to 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 7 

Foresters' Hall, on Main street, in this city of Los 
Angeles, to assist the notorious Mrs. Kich in giving 
a mediums' meeting. In the street, opposite the 
hall, a meeting was being held by a Christian band 
— either Holiness or Salvation Army, I do not know 
which. With a heart that yearned for consolation 
I paused to hear their songs and prayers. A young 
colored man was telling how God had brought him 
out of sin. My eyes filled with tears, and I then 
and there resolved that this should be the last Sun- 
day which I would spend in a meeting of mediums 
and Spiritualists. 

On the Tuesday night following this Sunday 
matinee I gave my usual materializing seance. I 
had a severe cold and was ill, but I went into the 
cabinet and " spooked " as usual, taking a still 
more severe cold, which resulted in pneumonia. I 
lay for many weeks at death's door, and am now 
writing this in my sick room. I will never be 
strong again, and have but faint hope of ever get- 
ting well, as my lungs are badly affected. My 
soul, however, is at peace with God. I have 
prayed earnestly for forgiveness, and feel that I 
am indeed forgiven. 

With that feeling came a strong impression 
that it was my duty to expose this terrible fraud. 



B HUMS l N BASKED. 

Some of tin* local spiritualists, who heard that I 
contemplating such a step, have tried hard to 
dissuade me, and some mediums have. J am told, 
lefl town, fearing the coming expose. The argu- 
ments of these people have no weight with me. 

Nor am I. indeed, under ;uiv obligations to them. 
In the early stages of my sickness some of the 
Spiritualists came to visit me. hut seeing that I was 
seriously ill and likely to have a long spell of sick- 
ness, they ceased coming, much to my relief. Since 
then the Christian people of Los Angeles have done 
all in their power for me. None of them, have, 
however, influenced or advised me to write this 
exposure. I do it from the prompting of my own 
conscience. 

I know there are many good, honest people 
who firmly believe in Spiritualism, and I feel sorry 
when I think how mediums deceive them, for there 
IS neither truth nor honesty in mediumship. If 
God -pares my life. I shall spend the remainder of 
my days in undoing, as far as lays in my power, 
the evil I did while I was known as a medium, 
and in exposing what I consider the greatest fraud 
on earth — so called "spiritual manifestations." 

Julia E. Garrett. 
Lc Angelei) May W, 1892. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



The philosophy of Spiritualism teaches a con- 

lious existence after death and communion with 

departed friends. Taking this belief as a basis, 

mediums have played their tricks. The leading 

ones I have explained in the following pages. 

Spiritualists do not believe in God. They re- 
gard Jesus as a wonderful medium. They deny 
the existence of hell, but can locate the spirit 
world, or heaven, at a moment's notice. 

Spiritualists prate much of harmony, yet they 
fight continually among themselves. In every 
town you find a first and second society of Spirit- 
ualists, and sometimes many others. Spiritualists 
have never, to my knowledge, built any meeting- 
houses or schools, or founded any charitable insti- 
tutions. They have no organization, or even a 
fund to assist sick members. They do no good, 
but much harm. In all my experience, I have 
known but one Spiritualist who was, in any de- 
benefactor to humanity. 

Onr peculiarity of Spiritualists is that they all 



10 KRDIUM8 IN MASK I I >. 

want to be mediums. All over the country there are 
people "sitting" for development of slate writing 
and Other gifts. In this little work I tell you how 
yon may get slate writing and other manifestations. 

Fou may *'sit " till the day of your death, but you 
will never gel them in any other way. 

It is, BUrely, time that the public should be 
warned against this dangerous fraud, which is 
spreading so rapidly. Mediums are growing bolder 
and doing worse deeds from day to day. Were I 
to tell one-half of the ill I have known mediums to 
do it would make* a large volume. I know one 
medium in Los Angeles, whose husband played 
spook t<> a poor, credulous German woman, making 
her believe that he was Jesus Christ. At one time, 
while playing the role, he told her that Christ was 
Badly in need of some fine new shirts and a hand- 
Bome stud to wear with them. The foolish woman, 
thinking she was doing the Master a great service, 
bought the shirts and a handsome pearl stud. The 
wife of this scoundrel, who, as a medium, is a great 
favorite with the Spiritualists of Los Angeles, 
* worked M the brother of this same German 
woman in the guise of his departed wife, obtain- 
ing from him new dresses, jewelry and many other 
thing 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 11 

I have never known a medium who did not 
hate and despise Spiritualism. Could a body of 
good old mossback Spiritualists overhear a lot of 
mediums talking among themselves their eyes 
would be opened. No medium believes in the re- 
Inrn of spirits, and anyone of them would, I be- 
lieve, be frightened half to death at sight of a 
ghost. 



L2 MEDIUMS IN MASKED. 



RAPPING. 



This, the oldest and simplest of all Spiritual 
man i testations, originated in the toe-joints of the 
Fox sisters, in Hydeville, New York, fifty years ago. 
It was then that the great fraud of modern Spirit- 
ualism was first presented as a grand revelation to 
a credulous public of American citizens, who, as 
Barnuni truly said, delight to be humbugged. 

I have been called the finest rapping medium 
known. Colonel Esterbrook of Omaha wrote a 
long and flattering article, which was published in 
the Religio-Philosophic Journal, of Chicago, con- 
cerning the raps produced by me. Here is the 
manner in which the spirits were induced to rap 
for me. The trick was taught me by a medium, 
and I, in turn, have taught many others : 

Wear a pair of smooth, high boots. Place 
your foot firmly against a leg of the table and your 
hands grasping those of the sitter, on top of the 
table. Direct the sitter's attention to any point on 
the table, then press gently with the foot. The 
-lipping of the leather against the wood makes 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 13 

perfect " spirit raps. 7 ' Wood is a good conductor 
of sound, and the raps seem to be on top of the 
tabic. A little practice will enable you to make 
any desired number of raps at a time. Three raps 
mean " yes ; " two " not sure/' and one " no." 

Some mediums place the tips of the fingers 
firmly on top of the table and, by a dextrous 
movement, slip them on the varnished surface, 
thus making very good raps. 

Like other so-called spiritual phenomena, raps 
are never produced by supernatural means. They 
are all simply conjuring tricks — and very simple 
ones, at that. 

Some mediums, who live in their own houses, 
have electric wires concealed in their rooms, so as 
to produce raps and mysterious sounds. This is, 
however, not at all common, as mediums are usu- 
ally on the move from place to place. 



14 MKDIUMS UNMASKED. 



TRANCE. 



This is one of the greatest fakes known to the 
profession, and is widely practiced, because anyone 
can undertake this repulsive fraud. 

The medium has only to shut her eyes, give a 
few spasmodic gasps and jerks, and then announce 
that she is " under control," or entranced — gener- 
al ly by some Indian or departed celebrity. There- 
upon the admiring and wondering believers sit 
open-mouthed, smiling, applauding, and swallow- 
ing the most idiotic twaddle that ever fell from 
mortal lips, outside of an insane asylum. The 
dupes, however, think it is fine. 

After all my experience, I have yet to hear the 
first sensible word uttered by a medium claiming 
to be entranced. They are the most heartless liars 
and frauds of all mediums. 

Usually, trance mediums have a little Indian 
girl for a " control/' with some fanciful name. Her 
silly utterances, through the medium, are accepted 
by the believers as superior wisdom from the other 
world. 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 15 

These trance mediums often do much serious 
harm, as they will tell the most barefaced false- 
hoods and slander the most virtuous people, claim- 
ing that "Snowdrop," " Walk-on-the- Water " or 
" Sunbeam " are doing the talking. Of all classes 
of mediums — magnetic healers excepted — these 
trance mediums are the most to be despised and 
shunned by decent people. 



IT) MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 



MAGNETIC HEALING. 



The mediums who practice this branch of the 
" profession " are the lowest and vilest of all. 

A man or woman who does not know the dif- 
ference between a shoulder-blade and a ham-bone 
tacks " doctor " on his or her name. They then 
announce themselves with much flourish of trum- 
pets, as " magnetic healers." I will here confine 
my remarks to the men who practice this business. 
The women " healers " are not fit to be mentioned 
even in an expose of Spiritualism. 

The healer claims to be controlled by some re- 
nowned doctor, long dead, or by some big Indian 
chief. He usually assumes the trance, and then 
commands his subject to undress entirely, as u mag- 
netism " will do no good unless he applies it to the 
naked body. Heis, usually, big, coarse and licen- 
tious, and in this manner can gratify his low ani- 
mal nature. 

More harm has been done by these people, 
right here in Los Angeles — more homes broken up, 
more young girls ruined — than the world dreams 
of. 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 17 

Two old, white-haired reprobates started here 
in this business not long ago. One was a magnetic 
healer, the other professed to have u developing 
power/' Both had a preference for young girls. 
Through the columns of the Times — God bless the 
Times ! — the one w r ho had the " developing power " 
was exposed, and the other said no more about be- 
ing a healer. 

This class of mediums should be driven, either 
out of the country or to honest work. My aver- 
sion to magnetic healing and other forms of licen- 
tiousness gained me their hatred, which I cordially 
reciprocated. 



IS MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 



TRUMPET TALKING. 



This phase of physical rnediumship is so sim- 
ple a trick that a few words will suffice to describe 
it fully. 

The medium, or a confederate, talks to you 
through a tin horn. That is all there is to it. 

I was present once at a trumpet seance when 
a light was suddenly turned on. The medium, with 
the horn to her lips, was standing not a foot from 
me, giving an old man a message from his spirit 
child. The exjwse was complete. There were over 
thirty people in the room, and she was made to re- 
turn to each one the dollar which they had paid at 
the door. 

This form of humbug is fast going out of use. 
Few mediums now use the horn. It has been ex- 
posed too often, and is such a glaring fraud that 
even most mediums are ashamed to practice it, 
which is saying much. 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 19 



TABLE TURNING. 



This practice is also fast going out of fashion. 
People have laughed it down. It is such a sense- 
less manifestation that it is hardly worth describ- 
ing. 

A party of people seat themselves at a small 
table, all placing their hands thereon very lightly. 
The medium asks whether there are " any spirits 
present." She then presses her hands in which- 
ever direction she wishes the table to tip. That is 
all. 

Of late, as aforesaid, even Spiritualists have 
tabooed this form of " spirit communication." 



20 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 



SPIRIT PICTURES. 



This phase of mediumship has been exposed 
many times. It is not common, as the medium 
must learn photography or hire an assistant. 

The negative of the sitter is first made, and 
the portraits of the " dear departed " put on 
later. Another reason why few mediums now 
practice this fraud is that any photographer un- 
derstands how it is done. 

There is another kindred phase of humbug 
that is more popular and less understood. This is 
the making of oil and water-color paintings of de- 
ceased persons. 

I know a lady who paid over $300 for one of 
these oil paintings, thinking it was made by spir- 
its. The medium was stopping with his wife in 
the town where the lady lives. At the time I was 
there also. The medium's wife, who is a very 
clever artist, was left alone for a moment in the 
lady's parlor. While there she obtained a good 
negative (by means of a small kodak which she 
carried in her pocket) from a picture hanging on 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 23 

the wall. A few days later the lady (whom I will 
call Mrs. Brown) had a slate writing with the 
medium, and was told she could get an oil painting 
of her child, provided she would furnish the right 
u conditions " and so much money. Mrs. Brown 
did not know that the medium's wife was an artist, 
and having perfect faith in slate writing, easily fell 
into the trap. 

She was told that she would have to wait some 
time for the necessary " conditions " to be perfect — 
that is, she would have to wait until the woman 
could finish the picture, I was called in several 
times to look at this picture as it progressed, and 
must say that it was an excellent copy of the 
crayon from w r hich it was taken. The artist 
had added a white dove, to give the necessary 
" spiritual " effect. 

One day the woman rushed into my rooms in 
an excited way. " Oh, Mrs. Garrett, " she cried, 
" the devil is to pay ! " 

" Why, what is the trouble? " said I. " Has 
she l caught on ? ? " 

" No, but here I had the picture nearly com- 
pleted. We intended to spring it on her in a couple 
of days, get our money, and leave this God-forsaken 



122 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

town, when, all at once, we find our plans are 
shattered. Her sister has arrived, and we must 
now carry the picture to San Francisco and have 
her come up there." 

" I am not ' on ' " I remarked, smiling. 
"Please explain." 

" Well, you see it is this way : I get the pic- 
ture almost done, then we appoint a sitting with 
the person who is to get the painting. We have a 
canvas, which they mark and place on the easel. 
This, you understand, is simply a dummy. I then 
put the last touches on the painting, so that the oil 
will be wet, and we then produce the picture as 
fresh from the spirit world." 

" Well, what has that to do with Mrs. Brown's 
sister? " 

" Why, she is an artist, and, don't you see, she 
could detect the fact that the work was not all done 
at once, as we make it appear to be the case ? We 
shall, therefore, have to explain that the. condi- 
tions are not good here and carry the picture all 
the way home, just on account ot that odious sis- 
ter." 

Mrs. Brown received notice from San Fran- 
cisco, in due time, that she must go there, the 
"conditions" having become all right. She got 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 23 

her picture, which I believe she values very highly. 
The noted female medium, Diss De Bar, of 
New York, who was exposed and arrested for prac- 
ticing this phase, caused it to fall into bad repute, 
even with the most gullible of believers. 



24 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 



SLATE WRITING. 



This phase of mediumship I have practiced in 
the most successful manner during the past ten 
years, and, being "one of them/' I have been ad- 
mitted into the secrets of all the noted slate 
writers. I am, indeed, an authority on the sub- 
ject. There is a sort of brotherhood, or masonry, 
among slate writers, materializing mediums and 
platform test mediums, but only among those who 
give full names. I will explain this later on. 

When one medium says to another, " Oh, do 
not be afraid to tell me anything, for I am 6 on,' ' 
the speaker is at once recognized, as this word 
" on " is the password. 

Automatic writing comes first. In this trick 
the medium holds the pen or pencil in his hand — 
or hers, as the case may be — and, pretending that 
his hand is moved by some supernatural power, 
writes anything that may come into his fertile 
brain, claiming it was done by spirit power. 

This form of slate writing is not in very good 
favor. Not even a good, old, credulous Spiritualist 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 25 

is often satisfied with it, so the mediums were 

forced to get up something a trifle more mysterious. 
and " independent slate writing } \ was originated. 
It is done in this manner : 

Place a dark cloth over the table. The me- 
dium takes a chair on the opposite side to the 
"sitter." Put a small piece of pencil on a clean 
slate, which is held on the palm of the medium's 
hand. Then, underneath the table, where the 
" conditions " are right, drop the slate on the lap, 
take the small pencil — which must be flat, so as 
not to roll— and write the message. Sign what- 
ever name is desired. 

Practice makes this trick very easy. I could 
write so that anyone holding the muscles of my 
arm was unable to detect any movement. This is 
the easiest and safest method of obtaining " spirit 
writing,'' as all other phases of slate writing re- 
quire fine work. 

Sometimes sitters will demand the test of hold- 
ing one of their hands over that of the medium. 
I always assented at once, and, hastily putting the 
slate under the table, would write a word or name, 
pick the slate up on my hand and say, " Why don't 
you put your hand under the table ? I am waiting 



26 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

for you." They would do so, and hold my hand 
tightly. Then, when the slate was withdrawn, w T ith 
writing on it, the most skeptical would be con- 
vinced. 

The most difficult phase of slate writing is 
using the pad and giving the manifestation in 
broad daylight and on top of the table, the sitter 
holding the slates with the medium. This requires 
much practice, a cool head and considerable shrewd- 
ness. No fool can do it, and slate writers are not 
common. They must be good judges of human 
nature, and vary their methods according to the 
character of their subject. 

The pad used is made of blackboard cloth, 
that can be bought by the yard. Use a small slate 
and have the pad to fit it exactly. This pad con- 
ceals the writing. The medium wipes clean one 
slate, lays it down, and takes up the one which has 
the " spirit message," and which is concealed by 
the pad. She holds the slate firmly, her thumb 
keeping the pad down. She always sits with her 
back to the light, hence the eyes of the sitter are 
blinded, as well as his reason. The slate is wiped 
clean on one side and turned over to clean the 
other side, when the pad falls in her lap. That 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 27 

side is cleaned and the slates placed together, 
never allowing the sitter to touch them after they 
are cleaned, for that would spoil the " conditions." 
It should be remembered that there is always a 
table between the medium and the sitter. The 
slates are then placed together and held by me- 
dium and sitter. After a few moments a slight 
scratching will be heard on the slates, which the 
medium makes with her finger nail but which the 
sitter believes to be the spirit writing the message. 
Naturally time, circumstances and the charac- 
ter of the person you have to deal with govern the 
sitting. With some people you can always have 
the slates prepared, while with others you are 
obliged to let them see when you first sit down 
that the slates are clean. Have your pad in 
your pocket. Mediums always have an abundance 
of pockets. Show the sitter the slates, then give 
him the " ballot test," which I will explain. Tell 
him that your control wishes to write something 
automatically. Here is your chance to get the 
message on the slate. Drop it on your lap and 
and slip your pad over it, after which you are all 
right, as you can then proceed to wash the slates 

and give the message. 

I did almost all my work in this manner, as I 



28 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

always claimed to be — and was — a test medium. 
I therefore waited until I got all the names and 
tests before writing a message, as prepared. Me- 
diums call these " stock slates/' and they will 
usually answer for any one. 

Mediums, of course, talk all that twaddle 
preached by Spiritualists, about " influences," 
" conditions," " magnetism " and so forth, but I 
have yet to see the first one of them who believed 
a word of Spiritualism. They are a parcel of 
tricksters, who go into the business to make 
money, and the bigger frauds they are the more 
the Spiritualists appear to like them. 

We almost always use the pad in public slate 
writing, although sometimes mediums will change 
the slates, but this is very hard to do. I never 
did it but once, when I made a success of it. I 
permitted the slates to be taken through the au- 
dience, examined, and . returned to me, sitting be- 
hind a table. I had a large, flat pocket made in 
the front of my black dress, in which was a pre- 
pared slate. As a confederate handed me back the 
slates, I hastily made the change, without being 
detected. 

One noted medium whom I know, who has 






MEDIUMS UNMASKED. L )( .) 

fooled people on both sides of the Atlantic, never 
uses the pad. He has a large, double slate and 
writes all his messages right under the eyes of his 
sitters, pretending that he is writing under spirit 
control. He pretends to wash the writing off — 
but does not do so — at the same time withdrawing 
the attention of his sitters by exclaiming: "Oh. 
see that spirit on the other side of the table ! 
Look ! Look ! " While the sitter looks for what 
he never sees, the medium turns the slates, closes 
them, and holding them to the shoulder, or on top 
of the head of his sitter, shakes and quivers and 
scratches away with his finger-nail. Soon the 
message comes. 

This medium was exposed and arrested in 
England and had a hard time of it to get free, A 
certain young nobleman, who was having a sitting 
with him, did not look for any spirit hands or 
lights, but kept his eyes on the medium, and 
caught him. 

Another form of slate writing, and one much 
practiced, is to have the message on one side of the 
slate, which lies on the table, clean side up. Take 
another slate, which has no writing on, turn it 
it over, clean it, and lay it upon the other. Ask 



30 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

your sitter to lay liis hands on the slate with you, 
and his magnetism will help the spirits to write. 
Wait a few minutes, then open the slates, look sur- 
prised and say : " Why, I wonder what is the mat- 
ter ; there does not seem to be any power here ! " 
This detracts the attention of the sitter from you 
for a moment. Then change the slates, with a 
lightning-like movement. Now you have the slate 
which is written upon above the other. Ask your 
sitter again. to assist you. This time the " condi- 
tions " are favorable, and you give the message. 

This is a very deceiving method. I know a 
celebrated slate-writer who not only gives his mes- 
sages in this manner, but also beautiful crayon 
and oil paintings. 

" Occult telegraphy " is a phase of manifesta- 
tion used by some slate-writers. It is a clever 
little trick. A small machine is fastened under 
the table, so arranged as to make a clicking noise, 
similar to that produced by a telegraph instru- 
ment. 

The sitter writes a ballot and places it in a 
box. The lid is fastened down and the medium, 
with pencil and paper, sitting opposite his subject, 
claims that he can read the answer given to the 






MKDIUMS UNMASKED. 31 

ballot. The way it is done is this: The ballot 
falls into the lap of the medium, who opens it with 
his left hand, reads it, folds it up again, puts it 
back, and then writes the message. 

No man or woman of any degree of intelli- 
gence would be deceived by this form of trickery, 
but when people begin to absorb Spiritualism, rea- 
son takes leave, and they become the easy prey of 
mediums. 

Another form of slate writing, practiced by 
some mediums, is this : The medium's table is 
near a door, over which a thick curtain is hung. 
The medium sits with his back to this curtain. 
His slates lie on the table. He invites his sitter 
to carefully examine and wash them. " I am a 
genuine slate-writer,'' he assures his sitter, " in 
fact, I give you the very best tests. Now, please 
write all your questions ; place them between the 
two slates, which you have cleaned, put this rub- 
ber band around the slates, which, as you see, I 
do not touch. Now, place them on the floor near 
my chair and hold my hands; also place your f< et 
over mine." 

The sitter does as requested, but before he has 
taken his seat the slates have been changed and a 



32 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

pair of " dummies," as they are called, put in their 
place. In a short time another change is made, 
and a rap given as a signal. Then the medium 
tells the sitter to take up the slates and see if there 
is any writing. He usually finds — if he is a Spirit- 
ualist — a satisfactory message, answering all his 
questions. 

There is but one way to catch this variety of 
medium. Eefuse to sit with him near the curtain, 
lean forward over the table, without leaving your 
seat, place the slates on the floor and do not re- 
move your eyes from them for one moment. Under 
these circumstances you will never get a message. 
The " conditions " will not be good. 

To catch a medium who uses a pad, demand 
to see the inside of the slates after they are placed 
together. He will refuse, and tell you that "the 
spirits are now at work. 77 Insist, and you will 
always find that the message is already written. 

Those who hold the slates under the table in 
the dark have the best chance to practice fraud. 
Under whatever conditions, or by whatever 
method you get slate-written messages, of one 
thing rest assured — it is a humbug and a fraud. 

There never was, nor ever will be a line writ- 
ten by a departed spirit. 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 33 

A medium in San Diego once offered me $1500 
if I would give a slate writing to a certain person, 
and give him the same message which she and her 
husband had given him. This man had faith in 
me as a slate-writing medium, and, had I been so 
dishonest as to have accepted the medium's offer, 
she and her husband would have robbed him of 
about $30,000 worth of property. During all my 
mediumship I would have nothing to do with rob- 
bery of this sort. 



•>4 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 



PADDING. 



In the case of Mrs. McCarthy, recently pub- 
lished in the Los Angeles Times, the poor widow 
who was robbed and driven to insanity by Mrs. 
Florence K. Eich and other mediums, I refused to 
have anything to do with it, although I did give 
Mrs. Eich the " tests " on Mrs. McCarthy, as I did 
in other of her cases. As long as a medium is in 
the business, she is bound to give tests and names 
to all traveling mediums. We call it " padding. " 
When I first came to Los Angeles a medium who 
then resided on Spring street, and who is now in 
the East, " padded " me with tests on every Spirit- 
ualist in the city. 

If Spiritualists and church people — the latter, 
I am sorry to say, are much given to running after 
mediums — only knew what a system of organized 
fraud exists between mediums they would not so 
readily swallow everything the latter say. 

When I lived in San Diego, a certain medium, 
well known for her wonderful platform tests, was 
announced to appear. She was called an " or- 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 35 

dained woman," and to read what the Spiritualist 
papers had to say about her one would suppose that 
she was half divine. 

As soon as she arrived in San Diego she called 
on me with her husband and copied as much out 
of my book of tests as she desired and I gave them 
11 points " besides. At her first sitting she cleared 
about $300, and every name she gave to the public 
had been obtained from me. 



36 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 



PLATFORM TESTS. 



Platform tests are among the meanest of all 
Spiritualistic frauds. The medium simply repeats 
what she gets from a slate- writer or materializing 
medium. All the work required of a platform 
medium is for her to commit the tests and names 
to memory, and twist them about in any fanciful 
manner that may occur to her. 

Let us say that the test given to the medium 
by a slate-writer who is acquainted with the facts, 
is this : " Lily Jones, comes to her father and 
mother ; died of consumption." The medium will 
give it out — while claiming to be entirely en- 
tranced by her " guide" — something after this 
fashion : 

" Now, I feel a very sweet influence, but oh ! 
so weak and — oh! I feel tired and depressed 
here " — putting her hands to her chest — " this 
beautiful spirit went out with that dread disease 
consumption. Now she comes nearer to me, and 
I hear a sweet voice say : l Dear mother and 
father, I am very happy in my spirit home. I 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. IM 

come to see you every day and I hope you will 
visit all the mediums, so that I may be able to 
communicate with you very often. You did all 
you could for me, and I am now well and happy. 
In my arms I bring a bunch of lovely flowers, 
and with these white lilies will form my name over 
your heads,' " here the medium pauses a moment 
and then continues, " the name I see is Lily Jones. 
Does anyone recognize the spirit and the name ? " 

Of course, the father and mother both speak 
out and declare it to be all true. 

Can a more heartless trick be imagined than 
this to prey upon the feelings of fond but foolish 
relatives ? 

The medium continues after this fashion until 
the meeting is concluded. 

No greater frauds exist than platform test 
mediums. I know one who travels about and rents 
large opera houses. He has a regular troupe of 
men and women employed, who go ahead of him 
and with him, picking up information, which he 
uses at his performances. He also makes use of 
these people at his meetings. They are scattered 
through the audience and receive " wonderful 
tests." The only power this man has consists in 



38 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

a good memory, a large amount of assurance, and 
a cast-iron conscience. 



BALLOT TESTS. 



Slate- writers and other mediums make use of 
this form of fraud, in order to get names and other 
information from their sitters. 

The medium has on her table a small blank 
book, or small squares of soft blank paper, and a 
soft pencil that will make a broad, distinct mark. 
She requests her sitter to write some questions, or 
names of departed friends. A skeptic would, nat- 
urally, look upon this request with suspicion, and 
imagine that while he is writing the ballot the 
medium is in some manner watching him. This 
is not so, but the medium intends to read that bal- 
lot, all the same. Otherwise she would not want 
it written. 

She waits until the ballot is folded and then 
proceeds to read it. How? There are several 
variations of the trick, and they are difficult to 



MEDIUMS DNMASKED. 39 

describe in words. It requires much practice to 
become a successful ballot reader. I was obliged to 
take lessons for three months from a noted medium 
before I could do the trick. One form — that of 
changing the ballot on top of the table, right under 
the eyes of the sitter — I never could do in a satis- 
factory manner, but I knew how it is done. It is 
in this way : 

The medium has a folded blank, which is to 
be used as a dummy. The sitter writes his ballot, 
folds it, and places it on the table, keeping his eyes 
on it. The medium touches it with her fingers — 
just to get some " magnetism" — does some " busi- 
ness " to detract the attention of the sitter, picks 
up the ballot to hold to the forehead and makes 
the change. It is the blank which goes to the 
forehead, while the written ballot goes into her 
lap, where it is opened with her right hand, read, 
folded, and the change again made as she places 
the dummy on the table. 

This is the most difficult of all forms of ballot 
reading, and, consequently, few practice it. Here 
is another method, much used by a noted material- 
izing medium : 

This medium has on her table a saucer, or 



40 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

dish of some kind, and matches. She requests her 
sitter to write three ballots, putting on all the 
names of those departed ones of whom she desires 
to ask questions. She directs the sitter to fold 
these in a certain manner, takes them in her hand, 
makes the change, and substitutes three blanks, 
which she places in the dish and proceeds to burn. 
The real ballots are safe in her lap, and she reads 
them at her best convenience. 

Another way is to put the ballot on a double 
slate and pass it under the table, placing the left 
hand on the table with the sitter. Then drop the 
slate on the lap, take out the ballot and read it. 
I have read thousands of ballots in this manner, 
and was never caught or accused of fraud. One 
soon learns to open and fold a piece of soft paper 
so deftly and quietly that it is almost impossible to 
detect the trick. 

In this manner mediums obtain many tests, 
all of which are carefully copied into a book and 
used for future reference, or to give to any new 
medium who comes to town. 

Slate-writers and materializing mediums have 
no easy job. Their work is exacting and requires 
eternal vigilance. It is the trance and platform 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 41 

mediums who have a good, easy time, as they de- 
pend entirely on the others referred to for their 
tests. 



MATERIALIZED PENCIL OR 
FINGER. 



This is a simple trick, depending chiefly on 
the credulity of the sitter. 

The medium waves a finger in the air, claim- 
ing that a pencil is growing out of the end of it. 
The other hand, containing some small pieces of 
slate pencil, is kept tightly closed in the lap. Sud- 
denly, the hand that is held aloft is slapped down. 
i a piece of pencil deftly picked up with the 
finger-nail. The sitter is supposed to believe that 
the pencil has grown out of the finger. 

Harry Powell originated this trick in the East 
and made much money by it. It is being practiced 
now by b Lofi Ajigelee medium, to whom Powell 

showed it. 



42 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 



MAGNETIZED SLATES. 



A medium in San Francisco has made a small 
fortune by means of this humbug. He sells " mag- 
netized slates " for $5 a pair. They cost him about 
three cents each. He has the business down to a 
system, and works his victims in this manner : 

A printed circular is sent out, describing the 
wonderful merits of his magnetized slates, together 
with a letter from the medium, stating that his 
guides have informed him that the person he is 
writing to could become a wonderful slate-writing 
medium if they would purchase a pair of these 
slates, which are safely packed and sent on receipt 
of $5. 

These slates are scattered all over the country. 
The man counts his silly dupes by the thousands. 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 4. 4 > 



MATERIALIZING. 



This is the chief of all the mediumistic frauds 
which I am describing. It gives more opportuni- 
ties for deceit than any other physical phase. 

It certainly does seem strange that any man 
or woman with ordinary reasoning powers and 
common sense should believe in the supernatural 
character of such silly tricks. The dark room 
cabinet and "conditions " which the medium de- 
mands should be sufficient evidence of fraud. 
People, however, are so anxious to be humbugged 
that they crowd these darkened rooms, kiss and 
caress the medium, or a confederate, and then go 
away declaring that they have seen and talked 
with their dear departed friends. 

As long as there are fools in the world, there 
will be rogues to prey upon them. 

The illumination, so much used by mediums 
for "spirit robes," is obtained from W. D. Devoe, 
corner of William and Fulton streets, New York. 
It c -.25 a pound, comes in cans, and La sim- 

ply illuminated paint. The garments are made of 



44 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

the variety of gauze known as tarleton, all starch 
being washed out. The paint is applied with a 
camel's hair brush, after any desired pattern. The 
tarleton is then pinned to a wall, or hung where 
the light and air strikes it, but not the sun. It 
dries quickly. 

About an hour before a seance, these illumin- 
ated garments are again hung in the light and air, 
as they will not u show up " unless thus exposed 
to light. There is a peculiar, musty, graveyard 
smell about the garments, arising from the phos- 
phorescent paint. This odor pleases the believers, 
who always cry out joyfully as soon as they per 
ceive it : " Here they come ! Just smell them ! " 
" They " and " them " are supposed to be the de- 
ceased relatives of these silly people. 

It is much easier to give a seance with illum- 
ination, which is done in a very dark room, than 
to give what is termed a " light seance," although 
a light seance is so dark that one cannot see a foot 

ahead. 

A false wig and beard, a pair of sandal slip- 
pers, with extra bottoms, to increase the medium's 
height, a few yards of tarleton, and a dark room, 
there you have all the prerequisites for a fine 
seance. Imagination, and a desire on the part of 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 45 

those present to be humbugged, does the rest. 

The audience believes that as soon as the 

medium goes behind the curtain she is entranced 

by her spirit guide. This, of course, is all humbug. 
Never in her life is she more awake or less busy 
than at that time. 

First, while a song is being sung, she removes 
her shoes and dress, and gets the " spook clothes " 
from their hiding place. Then comes active work. 
She may have two, or half a dozen confederates, to 
help, but the heaviest work falls on the medium. 
In perfectly dark seances, where illumination 
alone is used, a confederate sits in the circle near- 
est the cabinet, and is always the loudest in de- 
manding conditions, appearing to be very skep- 
tical, so much so that the objector is allowed to 
sit next to the cabinet, " just to convince himself," 
but, in reality, to slip into the cabinet at certain 
signals, be covered with a piece of illuminated 
gauze, and show himself with the medium at the 
aperature to the admiring and wondering audi- 
ence. This makes a remarkably effective test. 

While giving materializing seances I had 
someone to " spook " for me out of the circle, ex- 
cept on rare occasions, when I had a confederate 
enter from an adjoining room. 



46 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

When the medium goes to a private house 
where she has no chance to work the confederate 
dodge, she carries, concealed on her person, a 
" dummy." This is made of a soft piece of muslin, 
gored at the top, so as to be much smaller there 
than at the bottom. It has three tucks — one at 
the bottom, one in the center, and one in the top — 
through which soft bonnet wire is run. It is about 
three feet long, sewed up like a skirt, and will fold 
up. Covered with soft white drapery, or illumina- 
tor, and held out on the mediums hand, this makes 
a very respectable sort of spook, as seen in the 
dim light, or in total darkness. 

A celebrated medium told me that, at the first 
materializing seance she gave, all the spook's 
clothes she had consisted of one pillow slip. The 
lady at whose house she was stopping watched her 
so closely that she was unable to get hold of any- 
thing else. With this slip she made up as a 
grandmother, wearing a big old-fashioned cap, and 
was " recognized." 

This same medium is one of the greatest liv- 
ing fakirs. She has been exposed and arrested, 
her spook clothes put on exhibition, and long ar- 
ticles printed in the papers telling the public what 



MKDirMs UNMASKED. 1 S 

an outrageous fraud she is. Yet, the Spiritualists 
uphold her, and she continues to humbug the peo- 
ple. She makes much money by it, and as she 
grows older she grows more hardened. Five years 
ago I was sitting in her seance room alone with 
her. She had been showing me some new " spirit 
robes " which she had been making, and was giv- 
ing me a graphic description of the many different 
ways in which she could fool people, when she 
suddenly paused ; her eyes filled with tears, and 
she said : " Oh ! what an awful sin it all is ! I 
wonder whether I will go to hell for practicing 
it ! " 

Mediums ! I know that this thought has 
come to all of you, at some time. It came to me, 
and remained with me until I was brought back 
to God, and gave up the sin of mediumship. It 
is no wonder, when one considers the character of 
their occupation, that mediums have trouble, and 
are among the most unhappy people on earth. 

I will mention one more incident, to show the 
facility with which people can be fooled at these 

A noted slate-writer was doing a rushing bus- 
ine Mr. Jones, then editor of the 



48 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

Religio-Philosophical Journal, made up his mind 
that a medium who was such a fine slate-writer 
could certainly materialize, and insisted on the 
medium sitting in a cabinet, which he had in one 
of his private rooms. This cabinet had been made 
after a special design of Mr. Jones, and he was 
sure there were no " traps " or tricks about it. I 
will tell the story in the medium's own words : 

" When Mr. Jones insisted on my going into 
that cabinet I really did not know what to do. I 
had all the tricks of slate- writing at my fingers' 
ends and could have fooled him in that line for an 
indefinite time, but I had never taken any lessons 
in materializing, and had no spook clothes, beards 
or wigs with me. I knew, of course, all about it — 
that it is a fake, like other spirit business — but I 
was not doing it. I therefore made up my mind 
to go into that cabinet and then let my c control ' 
take hold of me and tell them that the conditions 
were not right for manifestations. 

" There were about a dozen present as I took 
my seat in the cabinet, which was of wood, with a 
door that had an oval window in it and a small 
shelf attached for paper or slate, upon which the 
spirits were sometimes supposed to write. The 



mkdhms UNMASKED. 4\) 

company sang a song and then I began to feel that 

I must do BOmething in order thai Mr. Jones 
should not be disappointed. 

" Having nothing with which to disguise my 

face, I dared not go to the window, as Jones in- 
sisted on having a better light than is usual at 
such meetings. At length a plan occurred to me. 
I removed one of my shoes and stockings, pinned a 
large white handkerchief around the foot, leaving 
the sole bare. I then leaned far back in the chair 
and put this sweet ' spirit face ' at the window. 

•• Instantly there was a cry : ! Oh, there is a 
face.' Then came the query : ' Is it for me ? ' 

M To this query, coming from a good old sister 
in Spiritualism, and knowing how prone she was 
to accept any and everything claiming to be a 
spirit, I caused the spirit face to bow an affirma- 
tive. 

" ' Can I come up to the window ? ' 

" The spirit face again bowed, and the old lady 
eame ap 3 saying, in a tearful voice: 

•• • Ifanda, is that you ? * 
Lgain the fool bowed. 

" i Will you let me kiss you ? ' 
•Once more there was an affirmative sign, 



MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

when the old lady leaned forward and gave my 
foot a sounding kiss. The foot immediately dis- 
appeared, and as she turned away, sobbing, she 
said : 

•• ■ I kno — know tha — that was Man — Man da ! ' 

" • But how are you so sure of it, sister? ' en- 
quired some one. 

" ' Why,' replied she, still sobbing, ' we kept 
her poor de — dead body four da — days and that 
smelt just like it did.' 

"This ended the seance, my l control' an- 
nouncing that I could do no more. I thought 
that, if my foot smelt like a four days' old corpse, 
I had better put my shoe on, and not play spook 
with it any longer." 

Mediums allow themselves to be searched and 
dressed all in black before going into the cabinet, 
but they would never agree to this, or any other 
condition, unless they had previously made ar- 
rangements with a confederate. It is usually the 
confederate who does the searching. No medium 
will allow herself to be placed where she has no 
chance. You may lock and seal the doors and 
search the medium, but if she agrees to abide by it, 
pest assured some one is going to help her and 



MEDIUMS l'NMASKI.1). 51 

carry into that room all she requires to make up 
with. 

Not long ago a medium gave a (est seance in 
San Diego. Having worked there for four years I 
was prepared to give her all the teste she needed. 
[ also supplied her with illuminated garments and 
taught her slate-writing, so that she gave public 
exhibitions in Horton's Hall. She has since dee 
oribed to me the manner in which she fooled the 
people who came to the test seance. 

Her husband assists her, and is always a 
ready confederate. A piece of wide-meshed wire 
was drawn across a corner of the room, in front of 
which was a thick curtain. The medium w 

-sed in black, " from the skin out," as she ex- 
pressed it. Two or three ladies watched her dress. 
but they forgot to examine the black dress she put 
on. This dress, which was made to order, has a 
double lining. In it she carried all the "spook 
clothes " >he needed. 

laced behind the wire sc i which 
down with small screw \ 

d the sii she 

unci go1 out her spook clothes, and th 

pr<> act enough of the 



52 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

able her bo slip under the netting. The curtain 
hid her movements and she gave a successful 
seance, of course replacing everything before the 
lights were turned on. 

This woman has a broad negro accent, having 
been raised in South Carolina, and all her spirits 
have the same accent when they talk. She can 
change her voice a little, but cannot get rid of this 
accent. 

Some mediums, who live in their own homes, 
have their seance rooms full of trap doors and 
holes for confederates to get in and out of. I have 
known two who never left the cabinet, but allowed 
their confederates to do all the work. 

Reader, did you ever hear of a spirit being 
caught at any of the many exposes which have 
taken place? No — it is always the medium, or 
her ally. Spiritualistic lecturers and writers have 
tried to gloss this glaring fraud over by declaring 
that " the forces are drawn out from the medium 
to make up the spirit form," and that, if a light is 
too suddenly brought to bear, the spirit departs 
and the poor medium is left standing in the 
clutches of the grabber. This is all a humbug. 
The medium — or confederate — is all the spirit that 
ever comes out of a cabinet. 



MKDITMS INMASKKI). 53 

Never attempt to examine a medium. You 

will find nothing there. Look after the husband. 
Or confederate, who carries the spook elothes. 



DARK CIRCLES. 



These differ somewhat from materialization. 
The medium sits in the center of the room, the 
people forming a ring or circle about her. I gave 
on an average, three of these circles a week for ten 
years, and should, therefore, know something 
about them. 

Neither in dark circles nor in materialization 
did I ever have a light struck, nor was I ever 
grabbed or exposed. I think this is due to the 
fact that I never tried to rob people, as so many 
mediums do. I made a bare living for my family 
and behaved myself decently and respectably. In 
return, I was always treated as a lady. 

M I these circles was to have my hands 

filled with Hour, the supposition being that, if I 
attempted to touch anyone, traces of the flour 



T>4 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

would be left on their clothes. In two seconds 
after the light was extinguished I would have my 
right hand free, and would be slapping and touch- 
ing all around the circle ; would write on slates, 
held in the laps of those present, carry articles 
from one to another, and do many other things 
that were all attributed to spirit power. 

When the lights were called for, both hands 
would be full of flour, and no trace of it on any of 
the black clothes of the sitters. The method of 
doing this is simple enough. I emptied the flour 
from my right hand to my left, ran my fingers 
through my hair, which cleaned them perfectly, 
and then w r ent to work. 

A celebrated dark circle medium once said to 
me: " Sometimes, when I am playing this fraud 
I am afraid that God will let me see a spirit, or 
have a manifestation. It would scare me half to 
death.' 7 

It is impossible to describe all the tricks prac- 
ticed by dark circle and materializing mediums, 
because place and circumstances have much bear- 
ing on each performance, but I know this, and defy 
any medium to disprove it : It is all a trick. 
There never was a spook produced by any medium 
or a word written by a spook. 



BDIUM8 CTNMASK1 56 

The iirst materializing medium I sat with and 
learned the tricks from was a celebrated one, liv- 
ing at Terra Haute, Indiana. This was twenty 
years ago. Since then she has moved to California, 
where. I believe, she gives an occasional seance to 
a select tew. She made much money as a medium 
and many wondered why she gave up the business. 
Eere is one reason : 

She had been frequently exposed, but always 
came out all right, as Spiritualists are ready to ex- 
cuse anything a medium does so long as she 
claims that it is spiritual. One night, however, 
while playing spook she came out to a young doc- 
tor, claiming to be his sister, or some other rela- 
tive. He, wishing to prove whether she was mor- 
tal or spirit, thrust a surgeon's knife into her leg. 
She nearly died from the effects of the wound, and, 
in fear, gave up the business. 

I know another medium, in Los Angeles, who 

received a cut in her back, about a year ago, w r hile 

she was out of the cabinet as a spirit. It was a 

Lone wound, and she was sick — " of heart dis- 

he gave it out — for a considerable time. 

In conclusion. I would oner more repeal that 
d spirit manifestation is a gross and 



56 MEDIUMS UNMASKED. 

palpable fraud. The wonder is that otherwise 
sensible people can be imposed upon by such child- 
ish tricks. If this little book shall succeed in 
opening the eyes of the public to the true nature 
of this shameless imposition, it will have fulfilled 
its mission. 



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